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Record-setting temperatures have been experienced all over the Pacific Northwest. Yesterday's high in Salem of 106 far exceeded the previous high for the day of 101, set recently in 2003, and approached the all-time high of 108. In both Portland and Hillsboro, previous highs below 100 degrees, were exceeded with temperatures of 105 and 106 respectively.

Although these extreme weather events are not necessarily indicative of the broader global warming occurring in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere, they do provide us with first hand experience of how small changes in average temperatures (just 3-4 degrees for the month -- and just a half a degree over a year) nonetheless dramatically affect our lifestyles, health, and well-being. Everyone becomes preoccupied with staying cool and its hard to get anything done in the absence of air conditioning. Many of us in the Pacific Northwest resist using AC because of the impact more energy consumption has on global warming. But.....baby, its hot out there!

The NOAA National Weather Service Record Report follows:

Statement as of 5:30 am PDT on July 30, 2009... Pacific northwest heat wave continues to break records...The major Pacific northwest heat wave of July 2009 broke several more records across the area Wednesday. The temperatures recorded Tuesday and Wednesday pushed historic highs... and in some cases exceeded them. Below is a preliminary list of record high temperatures that were broken July 29. Existinglocation new record old record all-time record================================================================Vancouver 108* 105 (1907) 105 (06/30/1942)Hood River 107 103 (2003) 108 (08/18/1977)Portland Airport 106 100 (2003) 107 (08/10/1981)Salem 106 101 (2003) 108 (08/09/1981)Hillsboro 106 98 (1990) 108 (07/19/1956)Portland downtown 105 99 (2003) 106 (08/10/1981)Eugene 105 101 (2003) 108 (08/09/1981)McMinnville 105 100 (2003) 110 (07/10/1926)Troutdale 104 104 (1998) 108 (08/18/1977)*exceeded all-time record high temperatureAdditionally... this heat wave may also be record setting with regard to duration. For Portland... .if highs reach 90 or greater through Saturday we will break the all time record for consecutive days at or above 90 degrees... which stands at 8 days (ending 08/19/1967).

Portland is also challenging their all time hottest month on record.The existing record hottest July was 74.1 degrees... back in 1985...which also stands as the hottest average temperature for any month on record at Portland Airport. The average temperature this July through the 29th is just above 73 degrees... with two well-above normal days forecast for the 30th and 31st. At this point it appears we may fall just short... but still this will go down as one of the hottest months on record in the Portland Metro area.Hottest months on record for Portland Airport=============================================1. 74.1 degrees - July 19852. 72.9 degrees - August 19673. 72.3 degrees - August 19864. 72.1 degrees - August 19815. 72.0 degrees - July 1996July 1-29 2009 average... 73.1 degrees

This morning's NWS excessive heat warning:

Event: Excessive Heat WarningInstructions: AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN... AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.Alert: ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR THE GREATER PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER METRO AREA...THE CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY...THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS...THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS... THE WESTERN COLUMBIA GORGE...AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY... AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PDT THIS EVENING. ANOTHER HOT DAY IS IN STORE FOR INTERIOR AREAS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON TODAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH WELL INTO THE 90S ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES POSSIBLY PUSHING 100 DEGREES ONCE AGAIN ACROSS THE LOWLANDS. WHILE TEMPERATURES TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER THAN THEY WERE DURING THE PEAK OF THE HEAT WAVE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...TODAY WILL STILL BE QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WORKING OUTDOORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING. FOR THOSE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING...SEVERAL NIGHTS OF RECORD WARMTH HAVE NOT ALLOWED OVERNIGHT RELIEF FROM THE HEAT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY THE CASE IN URBAN AREAS...WHERE TEMPERATURES HAVE STRUGGLED TO FALL OUT OF THE 70S AT NIGHT. THE LACK OF RELIEF OVERNIGHT COMPOUNDS THE HEAT STRESS EXPERIENCED DURING THE VERY HOT AFTERNOONS...AND TODAY WILL BE NO EXCEPTION. SOME NOTICEABLE RELIEF IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT AS STRONGER ONSHORE FLOW PUSHES COOLER MARINE AIR INTO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO BE ABOVE NORMAL AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND...BUT A GRADUAL COOLING TREND DOES APPEAR TO BE DEVELOPING FOR THE AREA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.Target Area: Greater Portland Metro AreaCentral Willamette ValleyWestern Columbia River GorgeNorthern Oregon Cascade FoothillNorthern Oregon CascadesCascade Foothills in Lane CountyCascades in Lane County